Apparatus for the recovery of precious metals.



H. N. POTTER.

APPARATUS EOE THE EEcovEEY 0E PRECIOUS METALS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE', 1911. 1,030,490. Patented June 25,1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

H. N. POTTER.

APPARATUS FOR THB RECOVERY 0F PRECIOUS METALS.

IIIIIIIIIIII LED J U N E 7 1 9 1 1. 1,030,490.

Patented June 25, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

`stream waters, owing to the presence o HENRY NOEL POTTER, OF HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA.

- APPARATUS P0P. THE nEcovERY Aor PRECIOUS METALS.

Speciication of Letters Patent..

Patented annees, 1912.

Appiicafion nieu :une 7, 1 911'. seriaifiro. 631,811.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY Noni. Po'rrnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hollywood, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California,'have invented cer-J tain new and useful Improvements in A paratus for the Recovery of Precious Meta s, of which the following is a-s ecification.

This-invention relates to evices for the recoveryT ofl recious metals, in particular gold, the -primary object of the invention being the rovision of an apparatus for re` covering t e precious metals economically fromvery low grade materials, even .when e form.

the metal exists. 'in solution or in of very fine particles which do not gravitate rapidly from suspensionin water.

According to .the invention, I provide a construction wherein a flowing stream fof liquid containing the values together with fnelydivided and suspended gangue,.i`iiay followa tortuous path above a plurality-of separate bodies of mercury or amalgam, thereof, means being preferablyv providedI for passing an electric current through the flowing stream in such direction that-the mercury shall be the -cathode of the circuit. In such case the liquid is electrolytically conductive, a condition usually existing to a sufficient degree in natural spring and dissolved mineral salts, but jeasil and cheaply created in case of exceptionally pure water by adding an inexpensive soluble salt, as .for example sodium chlorid.

Certain forms of apparatus embodying my invent-ion are illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:`

Figure 1 is a sectional isometric perspective of one form of apparatus illustrative of my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view on line II-.II of Fig. 3,'of a modified construction illustrating one mode of securing any desired increase in the capacity of the apparatus; and Fig 3 is a plan View of the construction shown inFig. 2.

Referring to said drawings, Fig.- 1 represents an apparatus comprising a vertical series of pans, 1,1, which are preferably moldedl from a `suitable insulating-composition als hereinafter more. fully described. Each pan 1 com rises a receptacle 2 adapted to receive a'bo y of mercury or mercurio amalgam-3, and aA downwardly extending," open passage 4, which isirvfree communica-- tion with the receptacle'iQabnvulongitudinal retaining partition 5 ".foratli'e'mercury. Any desired `number of:pans'fofiapproxical fseries, but in alternating positions, in such manner that the material overflowing of mercury in the pan next. below. In the particularform of apparatusillustrated in rie'd in aA holderlcasing 6, being supported therein by lateral projections 7, engaging corresponding recesses in the casing.

Above 'the mercury in each pan, and so path for 1i uidflowing through the pan, is a baiiie' 8, t e several bailles lpreferably constituting the `.electrolytie anodes and .being therefore lformed of ,an .appropriate conductiveina'iterial, such for example, as' magne tite, graphite,"l etc 'lheicathode connections to .t e mercury.' we conveniently made .through bar'sAv 9,5 ofzconducting material, vwhich may 'with'advantagebe fv iron, steel ornickel, lying lupon; orjin Athe bottom inembers ofthe several pa'iis-A v Injthe o 'eration' of. the; `apparatus as above de sc'ri l ,fthe valuegbearings'tream is "introducdinto-tllellifipermost pan, flows ".-to'rtuoii'sf path during' a vpartof vwliicl`ift-, is 'coni'ed in proximity to thej'surfa'ce'of. tliejmercilry. or amalgam and flows thence tojandl similarly across. the suriface ofthe-mercury in jeach' succeeding panv in"C theseri action, and then passing it again'v over quicksilver or amalgam and repeating. this extraction warrant. It is however Inde- .mately similar-form are assemblediin 'verti'f the partition 5 of one panwillbe directed in a definite path upon and-across the body Much 'gold occurs native in?- such. fine-Aoi" flat' particles as not to settle subjecting the whole stream to a mixing.

as often as the practical limits. of desirable Fig. 1, the several pans are removably `car disposed thereinas to `4provide a definite isirable violently to disturb the nieifcury asll'@ this tendsto flour it and cause a loss. l

. practically separately and alternately, and

I positively direct the stream withoutviolent agitation aci-oss the mercury surfaces 'and eect adequate mixing in parts of the 'stream out of contact withthe mercury. It is undesirable even in those parts of the construction devoted to mixing to effect violent dashing of the stream as this only increases theabrasion of walls with no compensating advantage. The mixing effected by flowing over adam or partition is quite adequate and a further mixing is effected in\ the vertical passages by act-ion of entrained air bubbles.

In the construction illustrated in Figs. 2

and 3, the apparatus is laterally extended by the provision of a multiplicity of pans Q,`which together constitute a tray 2*, set

in a suitable frame 12 onthe side members of which are electrically conducting pieces 10, 11, the remainder of the frame being of A insulating material, as impregnated woody'.

or the like. Any desired number'of paus i! may be assembled in a single tray, the .series heilig extended as desired both laterally and longitudinally. The tray may be a sin le molded piece of which lthe pans 9. are integral parts, or may be more-or less subdivided as desired into structural' units, each containing one or more pans. In Figs. 2 and 3 certain of the pans are shown as of double the e'ective width as compared with the construction of Fig. 1, each such pan having two parallel spaced-anodes 8,- between which the stream flows downwardly upon the amalgam, the flow then dividing and passing over the lateral retaining partitions 5, to the tray beneath. The flow asv a whole is in what may be termed a 'multiple path, which is resultantly vertical, irrecases,

spective of the path of any'part-icular particle.

Much economy in the quantityot' mercury required ma v be effected by providing in the bottom of the pans raised areas 13, in the channels around which the amalgam is of greater depth than over the raised areas.- This greater depth is of advantage at the region where the stream impinges on the surface of the amalgam, also at thesides of the pans 1"here it offsets the capillary dewhich tends to allow the accumulation beneath the mercury y of particles of black sand or other dense 'gangue material.

It is also -found advantageous in certain as for example when the apparatus is tobe used on a boat, to subdivide the pans by low transverse partitions 14 (Fi 3), which may also serveas supplementa supports for the anodes I With certain ores it is quite practicable to use the apparatus without the 'adjuncts which permit the employment of electric current,and in this case the batilesS, usually serving asianodes, may be replaced by impregnated wooden blocks or other suitable material. wIn the great majority of cases,

however, including those cases where the mercury tends to-'oul -or the gold is rusty or where native platinum or platinum metals are present, the electrolyticeffects are neces-i, sary` or desirable although in some'` cases. an intermittent electrolysis is all that is needed. The cathode connection to theA mercury is conveniently made by electrical connections extending between the rods .-9 and the inetal'contact 10, as indicated by dotted .lines at 15 in Fig. 3'; the anode connection is similarly made tothe contact 11,a

In the as indicated by` dotted lines at 16. use of the'apparatus, when several frames are superposed, the necessary electrical connections to the generator may be made in any` desired lmanner to any frame ofthe series. In order to insure effective electrical Contact" between` the 'several 'superposed metal contacts, it is preferred to provide each of the-se with contact springs as llus' trated at 17, Fios. 2 and 3. The electrical connections to the anod'es are conveniently. arranged so, that the individual anodes are freely remqvable, .electrical contact 'being made automat-ically'when they are-inserted in their respective recesses. -v y One convenient mode of n'iakin the electrical connections tothe external circuit is illustrated in Figs. i

2 and3, in which the current leads are con-` nected lto terminals 18, 19 in conductive. relationto the supporting membersV 20, 21 engaging the lowermost frame.

. Practically, 1t fs very important that the apparatus should be designed to facilitate and thereby clieapen the recovery of the values from. the apparatus, technically known as the clean up,A and for this purpose as well .as to econoni'ize the cost of repairs or replacements, to permit any desired variations of capacity, and forother reasons, my invention provides an essentially sectional construct-ion of readily removable units. This may be attained in many difterent ways. For example, in Fig. 1, I have shown tli'e pans constituting the units as mounted in a holder from which any in. dividual unit may be withdrawn, this system being properlytermed selective I have found it advantageous in practice, however, that the bodies of mercury or amalgam should be progressively advanced through the` series, the fresh mercury being bottom of the set and the whole set moved vup the height of one tray, this course being repeated in regular rotation with .the several units following the. first in series.

.For example, in the construction of Figs.

2 and 3 the stream is` introduced into the uppermost tray andv lpermitted to iow J through' the apparatus until,l this tray .has

' extracted suiiicient (gold, when it is removed,

cleaned and charge with fresh mercury and re-introduced rinto the system at the bottom, or an equivalent fresh tray introduced, the entire-series being 'for this purpose carried by suitably designed supporting members .20, 21. The metal members ,of Vlea-ch` tray frame are formed with recesses 22, adapted to engage these supports, and by mounting the supports so that they ,maybe retracted, the entire series of tray frames may be raised until the newlyinse-rted tray frame 'engages the supports. By the-use of this or an equivalent .progressive construction,- the ratio ofextraction 1n the successive trays is takenl intooaccount andthe upper tray which extracts lgold the mostrapidly, having the first'chance, will fgive way in duecourse' to the seco-nd tray which "extracts gold at a ratesecondonlyto the top tray, t-he third` becoming the second, etc. As each tray approaches its working maximumggo'ldcontent it also approaches the top of the series and 'thus there-is never any doubt as tdwhich trayisnearest ready to clean up`, inasmuch as that tray is always the top one; inversely it is never necessary to,l disturb anytray but the top one fas each 'of 'the succeeding trays contain less vgold than the top o-ne. In the electrolytic system there lis' an advantage in that the lower trays`are thoroughly electrolytically they come intol the 'positlons of maximum extract-ion. The el'ectrolytic action may be maintained o n 'the remainder of the trays during the removal of the top tray and inscrtion of. a fresh bottom tray. Obviously, any arrangement permitting this effect may be used, that shownproviding the pawllike supports 20, 2L adapted to rock upon their shafts, 23, and normally retained in position by springs 24.

The pans for containing mercury or mereuric amalgam are preferably molded, wholly or in part, from the synthetic product known as Bakelite, this name being applied to. certain condensation products of phenolic bodies and 'formaldeh de and to mixtures thereof with other, substances, as

for example, inert fibrous or 'other inert fill? mg materials. vSuch compositionsfare sus- Y j oiiits or gaskets, and the pansor trays thus charged j before made are strong', light, hard, impermeable, and electrically non-conducting, all of which qualities adapt them in the highest degree for .my present purposes. Furthermore, such molded pans have bee'n 'found to possess certain other characteristics which are particularly advantageous for 'use -in connection with electric or other amalgamators, l Thus zA (1.) The are not acted upon by electroposi- ,tive ama gams or by the products ofthe elecf trol vsis of lelectro ositive metal salts, or of 'goldy-solvent solutions; (2.) They are distinguish'ed from glam, porcelain and like materials by possessing in addition to much greater accuracy in manufacture, a degree of elasticity or resilience which insures them against seriously rapid abrasion or wear under the action' of a stream carrying sus-l peuded, hard, solid particles-as sand, etc.; and against easyl breakage due to'accidental shocks; g) T ey are distinguished 4from hard rub r, vulcanized ber and similar qnaterials bytheir freedom fromsulfur or sulfur compounds, which have a deleterious effect upon mercury and its amalgams.

lIt is understood that the apparatusmay be variously,v modified without departure from my invention. For' example, in certain cases it may bedesirable to remove and replace the anodes or bailies constituting'a horizontal series as a group, instead of individually. .This may a readily be accomp'lished byla suitable horizontal subdivision ofthe several trays, .'(Fig. 2)A whereby the anodes are carried by frames which are separable from the mercury receptacles with which. they are correlated when the apparatus is assembled.

It is further to be understood that the apparatus is capa'ble ofl eneral use under. any conditions involving t e employment of cathodes of mercury, as for example,vfor the electrolytic decomposition of cyanid sollit'ions of gold, as hereinabove mentioned; and that it presents advantages for such use for the'reason that the gold is effectively recovered from `such solutions wit-hout the necessity of first removing the suspended solids by filtration, decantation or the like.

Vhere the device is to be used'for electrolytically Adepositing gold from'solution containing it as a salt, I prefer to make the anodes and cathodes wide and the space between them as' narrow as is consistent with the s ize of ore particles accompanying `the solution. I also provide for "aeration by passing the solution successively over several4 setsof trays lwith intervals between, wherein air is allowed v`to act on the solution in any effective way.

I further find tageous in cyanidtreatment'of ores toipass the pulp *overy an amalgamatorbuiltas det-hat it is sometimes advan` j .SCribed, before adding, the cyanid, as thus the coarse freegold is removed and cyanidslso Aare to a large extent rendered harmless by the electrolysis or the products thereof, so

that when subsequently the cyanidlis added,-

ily and cempactly constructed of'veryeat capacity," for allof which reasons itis especially adapted for the recovery of native precious metals from lon1 grade ores or deposits, river sands and placers.

' tortuous stream path or paths,

I claiinz I i 1'. In apparatus for the recovery of gold,

4a seriesof separable, vertically siiperposed pans, each adapted to contain one or moreodies of mercury or mercurio amalgam and each providinor a tortuoiis stream path or paths,l the inlzet and discharge orifices of said pans'registering throughout tlie series to provide a continuous inclosed path or set of paths. y

2. In electrolytic apparatus furthe 1 covery of gold, a series-of separable, vertically superposed pans, each adapted to contain oneY or more bodies of mercury or mercuric' amalgam and each pllroviding a t e inlet and- Y discharge orifices of sind panav registering,

throughout the series to provide a continuous inclcsed path or set of paths, cathode connections to said ;bodies of mercury, and

' support.

anodes disposed/above and lin proxiinity,tol

l3. In a )paratusffor the recove of gold, a series o interchangeable, separa le, super,-v posed pans each adapted to-contain one or more bodies' of mercury or mercurio `amal gam, a support` for the lowermost pan of the series, and means carried-"byfeacli pan of the series whereby it may engage said 4. In apparatus for the recovery of gold, a molded container for ainalgamconiprisiiig`aii inert filling material andan inert. synthetic organic binder for said 'fillin'gma terial.-

A5. Iii apparatus for the recovery'of gold, :i molded container foi' amalgam' presenting` interior surfaces of an insoluble and infusible condensation product of phenolic bodies and formaldehyde or a. composition thereorf.

6. In elgctrolivtic apparatus for the recovery of gold, a container having a plurality of separate compartments for amalgam", iii combination.ivitli-a cathode connection common to said compartments.

v Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents Washington, D. G."

7. In 'elcctrolytic apparatus for the recovery of gold, a container having a plulv tion common to said compartments, and one clamore anodes extending above said coinpartments. Y 8. In ap arat'us for the recovery of gold, a series o' separable, interchangeable, vertically superposed pans, each adapted to contain oneor niore .bodies of mercury or amalgam, and each providing a structurally defined stream path or paths acrosssaid bodies. y 9. In apparatus for' the recovery of gold, -a series of separable superposed pans` each adapted' to contain one or more bodies of lmercury'or amalgam and each providing a structurall7 defined stream path or paths across sai bodies, cathode-connections to said bodies of mercury and anodes disposed in proximity `to said bodies.

10.- In apparatus for the recovery of gold, a series of separable, interchangeable, superposed 'amalgam' containers and a suitable support for the'lowest container. 11. In apparatus for the recovery of gold, a series of progressively removable and replaceable superposed amalgam containers substantially as described.

12. AIn apparatus. for the recovery of gold, a tray consisting essentially ofa lurality of eontaiiiersand a traine there or, lsaidl containers assembled in said frame in spaced relation to each other. 13. An apparatus for the recovery of gold having a multiple, resultaiitly vertical, inclo'sed'streain path leading over a plurality of amalgamating surfaces arrangedin parallel series.

14. An apparatus for tlie'recovery of gold having' a multiple, structurally de ned Strem'path through a. series of trays each containing a plurality' of pansadapted to `contain inercuryor amalgam. f

15. In electrolytic apparatus for tlie recovery of precious metals, a plurality of separate compartments :for amalgam and au anode or anodes eachadapted to serve a plurality of said" compartments. In testimony whereof, I aiiix my signature iii presence of two witnesses.

HENRY NOEL POTTER. f \Vitnesses: I'

WAKiirii-:Lo Iiiixxm',

ANDR MENoUs.

each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

1t is hereby certified that in Letters Ptent No'. 1,030,490, granted June 25,

1912, upon the application of Henry Noel Potter, of Hollywood, California, for an improvement in Apparatus for the Recovery of Precious Metals, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 3, line 130, for the word cyanide read cyanz'cides; and that the said Letters' Patent should be rea-d with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent-Office.

Signed and sealed this 19th day of November, A. D., 1912.

c. o. BILLINGS,

[SEAL] i Acting C'omwlz'esiomfr of PatentsL 

